How should a beginner approach Theravada? I have no teacher. My only resource is the internet. I have read the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, Anattalakkhana Sutta from http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ and few books on Theravada Buddhism which are available in pdf form at http://www.buddhanet.net/

What is my next step? To go on reading the Suttas? When I meditate do I have to think of the meaning of Suttas or just meditate?

Also how do I know if I am getting somewhere or I am just spinning my wheels ( I have no teacher so I have no way to verify if I am actually on right path )

I think you have to read Dhammapada verses and also somethink about Eightfold Path. The book of Bhante Henepola Gunaratana about Eightfold Path (Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness: Walking the Buddha's Path ) is magnificient.

Just focus on the senseation of breathing in and then out, follow the breath in and out

If you find it hard to keep focused on the breath then try using the mantra Buddho, that is on inhilation mentally say "budd" and on the out breath say "ho"

if you get distracted, be aware of it and then return to the breath

In general life I would say be mindful, try being aware of how you react to things etc try to be aware of dukkha. The Buddha didnt teach to just believe but to experience, so try seeing if dukkha is real (that is dont seek it but observe it when it arises).

Try following the 5 precepts as well, see if they make your life better or worse

Last edited by clw_uk on Wed Jul 10, 2013 5:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Read the Majjhima Nikaya; see what jumps out at you and makes sense, see what seems difficult or confusing. Find some Buddhists around you, and look among them and others for good friends who support being inquisitive and calm.

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]

Read the Majjhima Nikaya; see what jumps out at you and makes sense, see what seems difficult or confusing. Find some Buddhists around you, and look among them and others for good friends who support being inquisitive and calm.

If you like reading suttas, I'd continue doing it. If you don't, leave it at least for a while as it is not necessary. More important is to follow the 5 precepts and practice meditation. Meditation is not thinking about the suttas or about anything at all, really.

About 50 days have passed since I asked the question. As a beginning Buddhist, I am following the 5 precepts completely and reading Suttas and books on Buddhism when I can. I am slightly ( no not slightly but more than slightly ) restless person. There are also some financial and job worries etc like everyone else has. This has hampered with my meditation practice as all have suggested. ( I am restless due to the worries; normally I am not restless ).

I am able to put in maybe 10 - 15 minutes day. But I am abiding by the five precepts and following the Dhamma " do good deeds, do no bad deeds, purify your heart ". If the stressful situation I am in eases up a little bit ( and workload ) I will be able to put in more time in meditation.

But I am in it ( like others ) for the long haul. I understand it may take years for conditions to become conducive, so that I can pursue the perfect Buddhist life of meditation and Sutta study in a rigorous manner.

I'm sure you're also doing this, but I'd suggest watching videos on youtube of teachers like Ajahn Brahm and Ajahn Nyanadhammo. I don't really have access to a Buddhist community where I am, and they've become almost surrogate teachers for me.

There's loads more general things I could say, but my main bit of advice is don't underestimate the power of right thought. As a true beginner I focused on right speech, right action etc, and I guess I had the feeling that right thought wasn't "as important" as it affected no one but myself.

But I noticed that I tended to blurt things out I didn't want to, no matter how hard I tried to bottle them up.

I've only just realised that the 8 fold path really is all intertwined. Using right view and right thought in combination nips wrong speech in the bud and means that you aren't bottling anything up at all - you've cut it off at the source.